A beach holiday in Southern Thailand does not need to end at the shoreline. An Elephant Hills safari links directly to Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi and Koh Samui. Our included joint transfers mean a rainforest stay can sit either side of a beach break. There is no extra planning required on your part, and it is one of the simplest ways to see two very different sides of Southern Thailand on a single trip.
Why Pair a Beach Resort with an Elephant Hills Safari
Adding an Elephant Hills safari to a beach holiday gives guests the coast and the rainforest in one itinerary. There is no second flight to book and no separate reservation to manage. Southern Thailand’s beach resorts and Khao Sok National Park sit close enough together for our included transfers to connect them directly.
We have welcomed guests from Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi and Koh Samui for over twenty years. Many arrive partway through a longer Thailand holiday, rather than at the very start or the very end. A few nights at Elephant Hills add rainforest walks, canoeing on the Sok River, and our Ethical Elephant Experience to a trip that might otherwise be entirely beach-based.
The Ethical Elephant Experience has been recognised with the Responsible Thailand Award for Animal Welfare in both 2024 and 2025. It also holds a 100% rating from Global Spirit and Animals in Tourism, and a five-star score across all 17 criteria of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Sustainable Tourism Acceleration Rating. Guests help our team prepare food for the elephants at feeding stations within their free-roaming habitat. They then watch the elephants bathe, roam and interact entirely on their own terms.
This contrast is part of the appeal. A morning on Nang Thong Beach or Kata Beach feels very different from an afternoon spotting hornbills on the Sok River. Pairing the two gives a fuller picture of what Southern Thailand offers beyond its coastline.
How Our Joint Transfers Connect the Coast to the Rainforest
Our joint transfers collect guests directly from beach resorts in Phuket, Khao Lak and Krabi, as well as from Koh Samui. They bring guests straight to Elephant Hills, included in the tour price. There is no separate transfer to book and no local taxi to arrange.
| Pick Up Location | Approximate Travel Time |
|---|---|
| Khao Lak | 2 to 2.5 hours |
| Krabi (town, Ao Nang Beach and Nopparatthara Beach) | 3 hours |
| Phuket (Kata, Karon, Patong, Surin and other beaches) | 3.5 to 4 hours |
| Koh Samui (including ferry ticket and land transfers) | 5.5 hours |
One detail makes these transfers especially useful for touring itineraries. Guests can be picked up from one destination and dropped off at a different one, at no extra charge. A guest travelling from Phuket to Koh Samui, for example, can stop at Elephant Hills for one to three nights along the way. The onward transfer is already included in the package price. This turns a simple transfer into a proper stopover, rather than a detour.
Elephant Hills is not easy to find on your own, so we do not permit self-drive arrivals or transfers arranged through other companies. Our joint transfer is the only way to reach the camps. It is scheduled to connect smoothly with each pick-up point. Full pick-up times and airport meeting points are listed on our transfers page.
Choosing the Right Length of Safari for Your Itinerary
Most guests pairing a beach stay with Elephant Hills choose between a two-day stopover and a four-day safari. It depends on how much time they have on either side of their beach resort.
| Tour | Length | Best Suited To |
|---|---|---|
| Jungle Safari | 2 to 4 days | Families and first-time visitors wanting a shorter stopover |
| Jungle & Lake Camp Safari | 3 to 4 days | Couples and honeymooners, with a night at our floating Rainforest Camp |
| Nature Safari | 4 days | Nature lovers wanting mangrove exploration alongside the rainforest |
Every package is full board and includes an English-speaking guide licensed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, plus the joint transfer to and from your beach resort. The Elephant Camp holds 66 tents. Our floating Rainforest Camp on Cheow Larn Lake holds 20, and both are included across our range of tours.
Solo travellers are just as welcome as families and couples. Our small-group activities make it easy to meet other guests. Single travellers are comfortably accommodated in our luxury glamping tents, without needing to share. Whichever tour you choose, browse the complete range on our tours and booking page.
Building a Southern Thailand Itinerary Around Elephant Hills
The easiest way to build this kind of itinerary is to treat Elephant Hills as a stopover, rather than a separate trip. Book your beach resort first. Then add two to four nights with us, either at the start, in the middle, or at the end of your stay.
Families often prefer starting in the rainforest. Children then have the Ethical Elephant Experience and jungle walks fresh in mind, before settling into resort life on the coast. Couples travelling on to a second beach destination, such as from Krabi to Koh Samui, often prefer to stop at Elephant Hills partway through. Our joint transfer links both halves of the trip. Our all-inclusive family holidays page has more detail on planning a rainforest stay around younger children.
Climate and packing needs differ between beach and jungle, so it is worth checking our packing guidance before you travel. Lightweight, breathable clothing works for both settings. The rainforest calls for sturdier shoes and insect repellent alongside your beachwear.
Booking well in advance matters more for the Elephant Hills leg than for the beach leg, since our joint transfer times and group sizes are fixed in advance. We recommend confirming your Elephant Hills dates before finalising your resort booking, so both halves of the trip line up comfortably. If you would like help matching your beach dates to our transfer schedule, please contact us at booking@elephanthills.com. We’d love to help you build a Southern Thailand itinerary that includes us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I combine a Phuket beach holiday with an Elephant Hills safari?
Yes. Every Elephant Hills tour package includes a joint transfer to and from Phuket, so guests can spend part of their trip on the beach and part in the rainforest without arranging separate transport.
Do I need to arrange my own transfer between the beach and Elephant Hills?
No. Joint transfers are included in every tour package from Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi, Surat Thani and Koh Samui. Self-drive arrivals are not permitted, so the included transfer is the only option and it is already built into the price.
How many days should I add for an Elephant Hills safari?
Most guests add two to four days. A two or three day Jungle Safari suits a shorter stopover, while the three or four day Jungle and Lake Camp Safari suits guests who want a night on Cheow Larn Lake as well.
Can I start my trip at Elephant Hills and finish on the beach?
Yes. Pick up and drop off locations can be combined at no surcharge, so guests can be collected from one destination, such as Krabi, and dropped off at another, such as Koh Samui, after their safari.
Is the transfer between beach resorts and Elephant Hills included in the tour price?
Yes. Joint transfers from Phuket, Khao Lak, Krabi, Surat Thani, Khanom, Donsak Pier and Koh Samui are included in every all-inclusive tour package, with no separate charge for combining two different pick up and drop off points.
Ready to see how a rainforest stopover could fit around your beach holiday? Our reservations team can talk you through transfer times and tour lengths for your specific resort, and you can browse guest experiences on our reviews page before you book.
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